With the five PM deadline having come and gone for teams to set their roster, the Devils made a couple of surprising moves.  For one, first-round pick Stefan Matteau is staying, at least for a tryout before the Devils have to decide whether to send the 18-year old back to juniors or keep him (thereby using a year of service time).  It is odd that Matteau makes an NHL team but not the WJC gold-medal winning team, at least on paper though without a preseason and only one controlled scrimmage, it’s understandable they’d want to get a longer look before sending him down.

What baffles me is the Devils’ decision to cut Bobby Butler, who most figured had a spot after scoring fifteen goals in less than half a season at Albany, and with our current lack of scoring forwards.  While it’s quite possible they can sneak Butler through waivers while most teams’ rosters are getting set, I don’t get the rationale for even risking it.  Not when the current Opening Night roster has two goons plus our playoff sensation of a fourth line plus Matteau up front.  You can’t exactly count on a ton of goals from any of them.  Also cut (at least for the moment) was Mattias Tedenby, who might be back once Butler clears waivers or gets claimed.

Or maybe he won’t be…after all, Matthew Darche is still around, skating with the team.  And past history suggests that when Lou keeps a vet around without a contract after camp, he’s eventually going to sign him (think Tommy Albelin or Adam Mair).  Not to mention, the Scott Gomez rumors won’t go away just yet.  While it’s easy to conclude Lou Lamoriello would be interested based on the fact Lou likes to bring back ex-Devils for a second, and even third kick at the can, this one does make some sense.  Especially presuming Gomez comes on a cheap one-year deal, which would almost certainly be the case.

And did I mention the Devils still have eight defensemen around, as well?  You would think something’s gotta give on that front, and soon – but it’s not Lou’s way to do things before he’s ready.  Just look at the way our roster was (mis)managed in 2010 when we were up against the cap.  Granted, Lou did want to trade Jamie Langenbrunner and the then-captain invoked his NTC, nixing any potential deal.  Still, Lou did nothing to alleviate our cap issues until they were alleviated for him…when Brian Rolston‘s hernia and then Zach Parise‘s injury mercifully ended a sideshow that saw us dress sixteen players for one game.

I could bother to preview the season, but with the way things are going we have no idea what the roster is going to look like by 7 PM tomorrow.  Plus I still have last-minute ‘homework’ to do before my league’s fantasy hockey draft – in which I need to atone for my 13th place finish last year due to computer malfunctions at the draft.  I do want to write a blog later on all the stuff the Devils have done for season ticket holders coming back from the lockout (free tickets to one game, two tickets for each sth account to the NHL draft in June, among other goodies), if I ever get my sth mail and find out what of last season’s rewards I’m getting.